Baisendo

One of the first confections to catch the eye in the shopfront is the yakimochi, toasted on both sides until fragrant and lightly browned. Unpretentious as it appears, it is difficult to resist. Biting in releases the distinct aroma of toasted rice cake, giving way to a smooth, moderately sweet red bean paste inside. With a gentle sweetness that lets the natural flavour of the azuki beans shine through, it makes a wonderfully comforting everyday treat.

The seasonal fresh sweets that rotate throughout the year are another highlight of Baisendo. The counter shifts with the calendar, showcasing expressive mochi confections such as delicately salted sakuramochi, smooth mugwort kusamochi, and tender inoko mochi fragrant with cinnamon. The selection also embraces the turning seasons with autumn specialties like steamed chestnut yokan, chestnut manju with refined bean paste, and chestnut okowa steamed rice, alongside cooling summer offerings such as translucent kuzu manju.

Situated in Taishogun Ichijocho, Kita Ward, Kyoto, the shop caters primarily to takeout, making it an easy place to drop by while out on a walk or in transit. Authentic traditional flavours are available at modest prices, making the sweets ideal for an everyday tea accompaniment at home, as well as an invitation to pick up a few different varieties to compare side by side.